Viking Plastics provides custom plastics injection molding and post-molding secondary services for a variety of industries. Viking was considering the replacement of a ‘well used’ plastics injection molding press with a new, high efficiency unit, and were looking to verify the expected energy savings. Knowing energy reduction and an improved carbon footprint were Viking objectives, the NWIRC District Manager recommended PennTAP services to help.
To assess potential savings, Roger Price, Senior Technical Specialist with PennTAP, collected existing equip-ment and plant energy utilization data along with equipment ‘plate’ specifications of both the old and new equipment. After calculating potential savings, Roger assisted Viking in the application of a USDA Rural Ener-gy Assistance Program (REAP) grant which provides manufacturers a financial incentive for improving operational energy efficiency.
Viking Plastics’ grant application was approved! For $20,000!
Not only did the equipment replacement reduce machine time by 630 hours per year through improved throughput, but Viking will also save over $8,000 per year in energy costs! And associated maintenance costs will decrease too.
According to Bob McMeans, Technical Services Manager at Viking Plastics, “Viking appreciates the cooperation between the NWIRC, PennTAP, and the USDA to help identify and support the investment in improving our energy efficiency. All the partners were professional and easy to work with. We would recommend this program to other manufacturers.”
For more information contact your NWIRC Business Advisor to see how your company can benefit from higher energy efficiency projects!